Grating



June 29, 1943- R. .1. BARRY 2,323,271

GRAHNG Filed Feb. 19, 1942 :5 sheets-sheet 1 1 I? 7/ a ZJ DMT,

' R. J. BARRY `lune 29, 1943.

GRATING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb'. 19 1942 y INVENToR. /P/CHA/Po c/4R/Py. E@

ATTORNEYS June 29, 1943.

R, J. BARRY GRATING l 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 19 1942 -JHHIIHIIIIIIIHII W. m5 m ma/m 2H A 23a BY ZOG Patented June 29, 1943GRATING Richard J. Barry, New York, N. Y., assignor vto Walter EdwardIrving, Glenbrook, Conn.

Application February 19, 1942, Serial No. 431,503

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in gratings and more particularlyto a novel means of coupling grating panels in edge to edge relation toprovide a continuous grating of a required area.

The invention set forth herein constitutes an improvement over thegratings se-t forth in the present pending patent applications SerialNo. 358,598, led September 27, 1940, and a divisional applicationthereof Serial No. 372,706 filed J anuary 2, i941, in which I lam ajoint inventor with Carl Rasmussen.

The primary object or this invention resides in a continuous grating andmeans for release-bly connecting the grating panels together foremergency use as` portable air eld mats land for the formation of otherlarge grating areas.

One of the present type of grating air field mats and means ofconnecting the grating panels is dangerous to those handling them, forthey provide pointed coupling bars along the outer edges of the panelswhich cause injury to the handlers and tear their clothing. Anothergrating panel section with which I am familiar is constructed withbroken bars about the sides and ends thereof, or which have their sideand end bars provided with wing-.type connectors. The formerconstruction is weakened by reason of the broken bars, and the latterproduces a hinge effect when two or more panels are coupled togetherwhich effect weakens the continuity of the mat formed by the coupledpanels. Furthermore,I the means of connecting the panel sections abovereferred to are expensive of construction, for the broken barconstruction requires the making and handling of small pieces duringfabrication of the grating panels. The Wing-type connector constructionrequires the making, handling and riveting or relatively small pieces tothe outside edges of the panels 'after the same are made up. Also, theends of broken bars and wing connectors are easily bent in handling andtransportation which necessitates time and labor to straighten out forassembly in the eld. Whereas the two aforementioned censtnictions ofgrating panels have been placed into practice and the broken barstructure is superior 'to the wing-type connector method, gratingmanufacturers employing welding methods cannot ,economically use itbecause of the extra work and expense involved in making the outsidebars broken and in pieces. type oi mat section with which Iam familiarand which is known as 'the Pierced steel plank type also has certain ofthe above mentioned objections, for each mat section consists of aperforated panel having bent tongues along one of the A third edges andtongue receiving slots -alon-g the opposed edge. vThese tongues areexposed to bending and breakage during vhandling and may not be inpositionfor Aforming an interlockwith the slots of a companion panel.v

Some of the features ofthe invention are to provide a grating panelf-h-aving continuous bars on the outside edges which permits edge barsof adjacent panel `unitst-o belocked-flush against each other, therebyeliminating any hinging action between adjacent panel units; whicheliminates dangerof bending of side bars in handling and in transit;which hastens fabrication of the panels in the shop, and assembly ofthe-same 1n the field; which standardizesall longitudinal bars in thepanel as to length-andbends at the ends, and vall transverse end bars asto length; Awhich reduces scrap and waste in manufacturing; whicheliminates the danger of injury to 'a personhandling the panels and anyliability of tearing ones clothes yduring handling; and by use of'continuous outside bars, the same may be welded together with allotherbars in thepanel unit.

`Another feature ofthe invention is to provide a novel construction-ofreleas'able coupling means between adjacent panels 4consisting ofsuitably spaced C-shaped -coupling 1 members captively slidable on themeeting side bars of adjacent companion -panel units, the C-shapedcouplingmembers on one ofthe meetlngbars having interlocking engagementwith :t'h'e meeting bars of companion panel units, said C-shaped:coupling members being freelyengageable with the side -bar of acompanion panel unit upon positioning of the panel sections edge Vtoedge, so thatv an assembler need only hammer the C-shaped ycouplingmembersto locking positions alongthe meeting side bars, said C-shapedmembers being held against .sliding to releasing position by stopsstruck out vfrom one of the `meeting' side bars, which stops may bestruck a hammer blow ,to restore the bar toga straight form to enablesliding of the couplingmembers to release position when separation ofthe panels for removal, repainor vreplacement is desired. t Othernovel-features of the-:invention will become apparent; as the vfollowingspecification v1s read in conjunction with the accompanying of the barcoupling meansin released position.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but illustrating the couplingmember in coupling position.

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view on the line 1-'lof Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary top plan View partly in section of the meetingbars of two adjacent grating panels, the coupling slide members beingshown in locking position and held against sliding to release positionby bending one of the bars outwardly relative to the otherat a pointintermediate the spaced apartvcoupling members.

Figure l9 is a side elevational lview of one of the grating panels perse.v

Figure 10 is an end elevational view of one of the grating panels perse.

Figure 11 is a sectional side` elevational view of a modified Iform ofstop means for limiting sliding of the coupling members from coupling torelease position, the stops being illustrated in normal position priorto being struck to stop 'forming position.

tion shown in Figure 11 and showing the stops in lstruck-out.obstructing position.

-3 ,Figure 13 is a sectional side elevational view of amodication tofacilitate the guiding of the coupling members to coupling position; thecoupling members being illustrated in release position in full lines andin locking position in dotted lines. l

Figure 14 is a top planview of the modification shown in Figure 13, andshowing the coupling `members in locking position. -.Referring to thedrawings by reference characters and at present to the form of theinvention illustrated in Figures 1 to 10` inclusive, the numeral IUdesignates one metal grating panel or unit in vits entirety. For theconstruction of a continuous grating, a number of metal grating panelsl0 are provided as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which have abutting ends andsides coupled together in a novel manner hereinafter described. Thepanels I0 are all of the same size, shape, and construction to renderthem interchangeable, and a description of one of such grating panelswill suice for the others.

i A grating panel IU is elongated rectangular in form and of any desiredlength and width which facilitates ease of handling during manufacture,transit, and assembly of the panels in use for the'making of continuousgrating. In practice, dimensions of approximately twelve and one halffeet length, and between one to two feet width have proven satisfactoryfor convenient handling of the grating panel but such dimensions arnottobe construed as limitation of the scope of-the invention, for the panelsmay be made in other sizes if desired.

The panel I0 is constructed of flat metal bars or strips arranged onedgeand which dene the grating meshes. 'Ihe panel includes an elongatedrectangular frame F` comprising straight parallel side bars II-.I I, andstraight end bars I2-I2a. The ends of the side bars II-II are providedwith right angular inwardly bent flanges I3 to which the respective endsof the end bars I2-I2a are riveted or welded as at I 4. Equidistantlyspaced and disposed parallel to the side bars II-II is a series ofstraight bars I5, the ends of which are bent at right angle to provideanges I6 which abut the adjacent end bars i I2-I2a and are securedthereto by rivets I1 or welding. If the meeting ends of the bars arewelded, the flanges I6 may be eliminated. 'I'he transverse spacing ofthe bars II-II from the bars I5 corresponds to the spacing of the latterfrom each other.

In the spacing between the bars I5 and between the outermost bars I 5and side bars I I-I I there are strips I8 bent into appropriate zig-zagform and permanently secured at their point of contact to the respectivebars I I and I5 by rivets I9 or by welding. Thus, all of the bars II,I2, I2a, I5 and I8A are rigidly and permanently united in a unitarypanel structure, the open spaces between adjacent bars constitutingmeshes.

Each side bar II beginnning with the mesh next to the corner mesh, isprovided with equidistantly elongated reduced portions 2|). Thesereduced portions 20 are formed by cutting away opposite edges of the barII and are disposed medial of the height of the bar. The cut-awayportions provide opposed notches 2I-2I in the bar, the end walls ofwhich are inclined as at 22. The reduced portions 20 in the bar II aredisposed at alternate meshes along the length of the bar as bestillustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 9. Slidably mounted on each bar I Iwithin each of those meshes intermediate those in which the reducedportions 20 are formed, are a pair of C- shaped coupling members 23-23.One C-shaped coupling member 23a is slidable on each bar Il within thelength of each corner mesh. Each coupling member 23 and 23a has its openmouth 24 facing outwardly and the size of the mouth is greater than thewidth of the reduced portions 20 to facilitate the free insertion of thereduced portion 20 of one panel I0 into the mouths 24 of the couplingmembers of a next adjacent panel I during the forming of a continuousgrating as will be more fully explained hereinafter. The cross sectionalspace Within each C-shaped coupling member is of a size to receive thecross sectional areas of the abutting side bars II of a pair of adjacentgrating panels.

The end bar I2 is provided with two suitably spaced reduced portionsl20a which are similar to the reduced portions 20. In this instance thereduced portions 2M are respectively disposed within those meshes nextto the corner meshes as best illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and l0. Onlyone of the ends of the notches formed by providing the reduced portions20a have their ends inclined as at 22a, however, in instances wherespace permits, both ends may be inclined. The inclined end walls 22a arethose disposed nearest the ends of the bar I2.

The end bar I2a is of uniform shape and has two suitably spaced C-shapedcoupling members 23h slidably mounted thereon within those meshes nextto the corner meshes as best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. TheC-shaped coupling members 23h are identical in construction as thecoupling members 23 and a further description of the same is notbelieved necessary, except that their open mouths face outwardly toconfront the reduced portions of companion bars of adjacent aelzaavivpanels tobe connected to form a continuous gratcoupling members 23-23,to releasing position to" ward each other, that is, to a positionsubstantially midway between adjacent bendsof the adjacent zig-zagstrips I8, so as to be disposed in a position to receive the respectivereduced portions 20 of the next panels to be connected. The singlecoupling members 23a are slid to a releasing position adjacent the endbars I2 and I2a. After placing one panel Ill flat upon the ground orother supporting surface, a second companion panel I is likewise placedin staggered relation thereto and adjacent side bars II- of the twopanels are brought vintoparallel abutting engagement with the open sidesof the coupling members 23 of the side bar II- of one panel inconfronting relation to thev reduced portions 20 of the companion panel.An operator, now, with the aid of a hammer may strike the members 23-23toslide them tolocking position, clear of the vends of the reducedportions 20. Also, the single couplingmembers 23a will receive one ofthe reduced portions 20 and is driven to locking position clear of oneend thereof. Two panel sections are now connected, side by side and instaggered relation. Other panels I 0 may be similarly connected to theouter free sides ofv the two 'connected panels to form a grating surfaceof t-he desired width.

For connecting the panels I0, end to end, a slightly different proceduretakes place. The panel I 0 may be considered as having a female end onwhich the coupling members 23b are mounted, and a male end on which thereduce-d portie-ns 20a are provided in the end bar I2. The male end ofone panel is brought into edge to edge relation with the female edge ofa com-- panion panel, or vice versa. The couplingmernbers 23D are slidto releasing position prior to bringing the ends of the panels together,whereupon the reduced portions 2a will freely enter the mouths of thecoupling members 23h, after which an operator hammers the couplingmembers 23h outwardly toward the inclined walls of the notches formed bythe cutting away of the bar I2 to form the reduced portions- 20a. Thethird panel overlaps the side of the rst mentioned panel, and theconfronting side bars I`I-i I of thesetwo panels are joined toof suchmeans being illustrated in Figures -8, 11,Y

and 12. In Figure 8, a pointed instrument may be inserted' between thereduced portions 20--2011 and the adjacent confronting side rail or endrail I-Za respectively, and a hammer Vblow imp'a .rtedV to theinstrumentV to cause the same to.

force the reduced portionsl 20 and 20a outwardly to bulged shape. Thebulged shape or outwardly deformed reduced coupling portions act asstops for-limitingfthe slid-ing movement of the C-shapedcou-plingmembers to releasing position. However, the deformed couplingportions may be flattened to their originali positions by` strik-ing thesame a blow with a hammer when itis desired to slide the C-shapedcoupling members to release positions for purposes of disassembling theconnected grating panels or when repair or replacement of the same is inorder.

In Figures 11 and 12, the bar I I is slit on horizontal linescoextensive with the ends of the top and bottom edges of the reducedportions 29 as indicated by the numeral 25 to provide pointed bendablelugs 26. The lugs 26 are bent out'- wa-rdly by the use of a suitableinstrument tothe position shown in Figure 12, where they are inobstructing position to prevent sliding movement of the pair of couplingmembers 23-23 to release positions. The lugs 26 may be bent to originalpositions Within the plane of the thickness of the bar from which theyare formed when it is desired to slide the coupling members 23-23 towardeach other to release position. I

In Figure 14, the end walls of the opposed notches 2| are beveledoutwardly as at 21 for engagement by the walls of the mouth opening 24of the C-shaped coupling members 23 when they are driven from release tolocking position. The beveled surfaces 21 act to guide the couplingmembers to locking engagement with the bar II on which the reducedcoupling portion 2U is formed.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the gratingpanels and coupling means carried thereby are convenient for rapidassembly and coupling of the panels, and also, for convenient and rapiddismantling of the continuous grating, or for removal and replacement ofa damaged panel located in any position in the length and width of theassembled grating. Any one of the panels may be uncoupled by merelydriving those coupling members t0 their releasing position which fastenthe panel to adjoining panels, after which the uncoupled panel may befreely lifted from the assembly.

I-n addition to the above stated advantages, the continuity of the sideand end bars of the panel and the Vnovel coupling means, permits theclose coupling of the meeting outer bars, and prevents any objectionablehinge effect between the coupled panels. Also, the C-shaped couplingmembers are captively slidable on their respective supporting bars andtheirsliding movement is restricted rby the sections of the various barsforming the meshes.

While there has been shown and described what is considered to be thepreferred embodi-V ments of the invention, it is to be understood thatsuch changes in construction and design as come within the scope of theappended claims may be resorted to if desired without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A sectional grating including a panel having a side bar, a reducedportion provided in said side bar, a compa-nien panel having a side bariiatl'y abutting the rst side bar, and a pair of C-shaped couplingmembers slidably mounted upon these'c ond side bar. having` their opensides facing. the first side bar to freelyv receive the reduced por..tion, said C-shaped coupling members being .slid in oppositev directionsbeyond the ends of the re-V duced portion to cause the same toclampingly embrace both side bars to prevent separationof the'panels onefromthe other.

2. A sectionalgrating as set forth in claim 1. including meansv bentvoutwardly from the firstside bar at-the ends of the reduced portion anddisposed in the path of sliding movement of the respective couplingmembers toward each other when in spaced apart coupling position toprevent accidental uncoupling of the panels.

3. A sectional grating including a panel having a side bar, said sidebar having opposed notches in the longitudinal edges thereof, 'acompanion panel having a side bar flatly abutting the first side bar,and a pair of C-shaped coupling members slidably mounted upon the secondside bar having their open sides facing the first side bar andclampingly embracing the rst side bar beyond and adjacent the ends ofsaid notches, said notches being of a length greater than the combinedwidths of the pair of coupling members whereby the coupling members maybe slidtoward each other to release position within the confines of thelength of the notches to facilitate the uncoupling and subsequentcoupling of the panels.

4. A sectional grating including a panel having a side bar and openmeshes along said side bar, C-shaped coupling members slidable upon saidside bar within the limits of certain of said meshes and having the opensides facing outwardly; a companion panel having a side bar and openmeshes along the last named side bar, the last named side bar havingsets of opposed notches in the longitudinal edges thereof, each set ofopposed notches being disposed within the limit of certain of the meshesof the companion panel, the bars being arranged in abuttingengagementwith sets of notches in opposed relation to the C-shapedcoupling members to facilitate the passage of the open sides f thecoupling members through the opposed Ynotches to enable the sliding ofthe coupling members beyond the ends of the respective notches tocoupling engagement with the notched side bar. i

5. A grating section comprising an elongated rectangular shaped panelhaving a structure forming the grating meshes bounded by straightcontinuous side bars, the two opposed longitudinal side bars havingreduced portions spaced therealong, said reduced portions being withinthe limit of alternate meshes along the said bars, and C-shaped couplingmembers slidably mount` ed on said longitudinal bars within the limitsof the other of said meshes, the open sides of the C-shaped couplingmembers facing outwardly to enable the same to be brought into couplingrelation to the reduced portions of 'a companion panel to facilitate thesliding of ther coupling members onto the complementary side bar of acompanion panel. f

6. A grating section comprising an elongated rectang-ular shaped panelhaving a structure forming the grating meshes and includi-ng straightcontinuous end bars, one of the end bars having reduced portions Withinthe limits of suit-V ably spaced meshes along said bar, and C-shapedcoupling members slidably mounted upon the other end bar Within thelimits of those meshes corresponding to those aforementioned spacedmeshes, the open sides of the C-shaped coupling members facing outwardlyto enable the same to be brought into coupling relation to the reducedportions at the end of a companion panel to facilitate the sliding ofthe coupling members onto the complementary end bar of a companionpanel.

7. A sectional grating including agrating panel comprising a structureforming grating meshes and including a bar forming a side of the lclosedmeshes at an edge of the panel, reduced portions provided in said barand suitably spaced therealong within the limits of certain of themeshes, a companion panel comprising a structure forming grating meshesand including a bar forming a side of the closed meshes at an edge ofthe companion panel and arranged in abutting engagement with the rstbar, and a series of C-shaped coupling members slidably mounted on thesecond bar within the limits of certain of the meshes, said C-shapedcoupling members having their open sides facing outwardly torespectively receive the reduced portions of the first bar when slid torelease position and being slid beyond the ends of the reduced portionsto coupling position for coupling the panels together.

8. A sectional grating as set forth in claim 7, including means bent outfrom the bar of the first panel after the coupling members are slid tocoupling position for-preventing the accidental sliding of the couplingmembers to release position.

9. A sectional grating as set forth in claim 7, including prongs, bentoutwardly from the ends of the reduced portions and disposed in the pathof sliding movement of the coupling members to release position forpreventing accidental sliding of the coupling members from coupling torelease position.

10. A sectional grating as set forth in claim 7,' including beveledguide surfaces provided on the rst bar at the ends of the reducedportions in the `path of sliding movement of the .coupling members tocoupling position for guiding the coupling members onto the rst bar forcoupling engagement therewith.

11. A sectional grating panel including a panel having a side bar, saidside bar having sets of opposed notches in the longitudinal edgesthereof, said sets of notches being arranged at suitable spaceddistances apart, a companion panel having a side bar ilatly abutting therst side bar, and C-shaped coupling members slidably mounted upon thesecond bar having their open sides facing the first side `bar andclampingly engaging the first side bar beyond the ends of the respectivesets of notches, said sets of notches being of a length greater than thewidth of the respective C-shaped coupling members whereby the C-shapedcoupling members may be slid to release position within the confines ofthe length of the respective sets of notches to facilitate theuncoupling and subsequent coupling Vof the panels. 12. In combination, apair of grating panels having straight continuous complementary outerbars arranged in side to side abutting relation, a substantiallyC-shaped coupling member slidably mounted on one of said bars and havingits open side facing the other of said bars, the other of said barshaving a reduced portion provided therein intermediate the ends thereof,said C-shaped coupling member receiving the reduced portion through theopen side thereof and being slid to a position beyond one end thereof tocause the same to embrace both of the bars and prevent accidentalseparation of the grating panels.

13. A sectional grating including a panel having a side bar, a reducedportion provided in said side bar, a companion panel having a side barintermediate the ends thereof flatly abutting the first side bar, aC-shaped coupling member slidably mounted upon the second side barhaving its open side facing the first side bar, said C-shaped couplingmember being of a cross-sectional size to slidably embrace both sidebars, said C-shaped coupling member receiving the reduced portionthrough the open side thereof and being slid to a position beyond oneend of the reduced portion to cause the same to embrace both side barsto prevent accidental separation of the panels one from the other.

14. A continuous grating comprising in com-` bination, a rectangularshaped grating panel havbars, two corresponding side bars of the panelsbeing arranged in parallel abutting engagement, C-shaped couplingmembers slidably and captively mounted on one of the side bars andengaging the other side ,bar and having their open sides facing the lastnamed side bar, said coupling members being engageable and disengageablewith the last named side bar by means of reduced portions providedthereon for securing the ing straight continuous side bars, a companion410 pangs together in Side by Side relation grating panel havingstraight continuous side RICHARD J. BARRY.

